Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance for HSCRB

Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Harvard

In March 2020, Harvard University took preventive measures to limit the number of people interacting, including those in research laboratories. In May 2020, the University announced its research laboratory re-entry plan. The department has been working with others across the School and University to implement re-entry in fidelity with federal, state, local and University policy and requirements.

Harvard University COVID-19 Guidance

Page last updated on Friday, June 5, 2020. We will update this page with new information as it becomes available.

This page provides information relevant to the operations of Harvard’s department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology (HSCRB). Please refer to the University’s dedicated coronavirus website for current, reliable information about how the university is working to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Please consider both your own health and safety and that of others in the community, some of whom may be particularly vulnerable to the virus due to immune system compromise or other conditions. This virus affects people differently; you may not always be aware of how it will impact those around you.

Governor Baker’s executive order requires everyone to wear face masks or cloth face coverings in public places where social distancing is not possible. This applies to both indoor and outdoor spaces.

We encourage everyone to review Harvard’s guidance about both international and domestic travel.

If you have a dual role at other Harvard schools, institutes, or teaching hospitals, we ask that you follow their policies and guidelines if they are more restrictive.

Coronavirus Exposure

Patients with confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have experienced symptoms that appear 2-14 days after exposure. If you develop a fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, call your healthcare provider for medical advice. Call them before you arrive at their practice so they are prepared and can help you take steps to prevent the spread of the virus.

If you are concerned that you may have been exposed to coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and are unsure whether you should self-isolate/quarantine, refer to HUHS guidance. Email health services if you have symptoms or need further advice.

If you have been tested for COVID-19, contact health services even if you do not usually get medical care at HUHS. This will help in assessing the impact of the disease our community.

Read about events, meetings, and interviews

In-Person Events, Meetings, and Interviews

HSCRB has suspended all in-person department-wide events, meetings, and gatherings. Please find ways to accomplish meeting goals by using technology that allows you to interact virtually. See the University’s work remotely pages for guidance.

HSCRB is suspending in-person interviews for staff, students, postdocs and faculty until further notice.

Research

In March, the University took preventive measures to limit the number of people interacting, including those in research laboratories. HSCRB labs have been in hibernation mode since then, with only the most essential functions being maintained by designated individuals.

On May 14, the University announced its research laboratory re-entry plan. The department has been working with others across the School and University to prepare for re-entry in fidelity with federal, state, local and University policy and requirements.

On May 20, divisional and department leadership met to review proposed lab re-entry plans, and either gave provisional approval or requested revision.

Timeline for preparing for re-entry at low-density

Wednesday, June 3 to Friday, June 5

PIs and COVID/Lab Safety Officers (LSOs) who have completed mandatory training can return to their labs to finalize details to implement their individual lab plans.

Friday, June 5, 2–3 p.m.

The PI and/or the LSO have attended a mandatory on-line meeting to review important information and Q&A. This was an all hands meeting open to the entire community.

Saturday, June 6

PIs will be informed as to whether their provisional lab re-entry plans have been Approved. All lab personnel must await this formal Approval before re-entering laboratory space to reopen research.

Monday, June 8 and beyond

Labs with Approved Lab Re-Occupancy Plans (ALRP) may reopen for research, subject to the following requirements:

All individuals returning to campus must complete the online training for lab personnel, and submit their certification of completion to their PI.
Each individual returning to campus must complete the online attestation of lack of symptoms for each day they go into the lab.
Within the next two weeks, all non-Union science and engineering returning scholars (including graduate students) must participate in viral testing. Individuals on the approved roster will be contacted to schedule this.
The HUHS website will have information about the available schedule for testing and a link to a Qualtrics survey for authorized lab personnel to select an appointment time.
University-issued face coverings must be worn in all shared spaces. Physical distancing and enhanced cleaning and disinfecting protocols must be followed. Only the University-issued face masks should be worn inside the buildings.

Lab PI and COVID/Lab Safety Officer responsibilities

PIs and COVID/Lab Safety Officers are responsible for assuring that their labs function in a safe manner and in accordance with their ALRP, including all operational items listed below. They are encouraged to provide specific lab training and access to their ALRP to all group members. COVID/Lab Safety Officers must be reachable on short notice and available on site as much as their lab re-entry plan allows it.

Operations requirements

ALRPs

Each lab must have an approved lab re-occupancy plan before their lab group may return to campus to conduct research. Changes to laboratory plans must be submitted to Sarah Elwell and cannot be implemented until you receive approval for the change. Labs are encouraged to minimize changes and not make any changes for the first two weeks after restart.

Weekly check-ins and certifications

Both PIs and LSOs must complete a brief, weekly check in that includes a certification that their plan and all Harvard COVID-19 policies are being followed. This Qualtrics form will also allow PIs to make changes or updates to their lab personnel roster.

Training

Lab members must complete required EHS “Lab COVID-19 Awareness Training” (Course ID: EHS-C19LAB170) online before returning to campus.

Health reporting

Harvard’s health-reporting app, Crimson Clear, will need to be completed daily before coming to campus. Individuals who have not completed the online COVID-19 training and Crimson Clear attestation will be in violation of Harvard policy and are subject to having campus access privileges revoked.

Face covering distribution

Harvard will continue to provide face coverings for all lab group members, which must always be worn when inside Harvard buildings. One member of each lab — a PI, LSO or PI-designated individual — should have already picked up the lab’s monthly allotment of face coverings at the B1 level of the Northwest building on Wednesday, June 3 between 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. If you have not done so, please contact Joe Vaughan immediately. Individuals should discuss with their PI about how their lab will distribute face coverings to each individual in the lab. If you need help defining a distribution plan, please contact Joe Vaughan immediately.

Lab PPE

Labs are responsible for providing their own lab-specific PPE as necessary for their research. If they are unable to procure them in time they may contact Sarah Elwell for assistance in obtaining a short-term supply. If PPE cannot be obtained, the work requiring the PPE must be curtailed until the lab has obtained the proper PPE.

Restrooms and public spaces

See your lab’s ALRP for details. Please note that it is not permitted to use signage to designate bathrooms to specific labs.

Public convening spaces that should not be used have been marked and should be considered off-limits except for passing through. Do not remove caution tape, move furniture, or sit in the areas that have been taped off.

Eating and kitchens

All refrigerators, microwaves, and other food preparation appliances in shared spaces are not to be used. Individuals may bring a packed meal and are to store it with their personal belongings on campus, using ice packs, etc. as necessary. Food may only be consumed according to ALRP’s or in one of the designated eating areas. Only marked seats are to be used in these rooms and individuals are required to clean surfaces before and after use with the cleaning supplies in the room. If you cannot locate the cleaning supplies please contact Joe Vaughan immediately.

Concerns about returning to campus

If you have a concern, such as an underlying condition, regarding returning to work on campus, then you are encouraged to speak with your PI or HSCRB leadership about your concerns. Additionally, these issues can be raised with Human Resources (for staff), Faculty Affairs (for academic appointments and postdocs), or Danielle Farrell, Director of Student Services (for graduate students).

Specific HSCRB and FAS contacts:

Academic appointments:
- HSCRB: Danielle Oliver, Program Manager, Academic and Faculty Affairs, danielle_oliver@harvard.edu, 617-496-1584
- FAS: Zoe Fonseca-Kelly, Assistant Dean for Science, FAS Office for Faculty Affairs, zoefonseca-kelly@fas.harvard.edu, 617-495-5083
Staff:
- HSCRB: Gosia Sklodowska, Associate Director of Administration, gosia_sklodowska@harvard.edu, 617-495-7727
- FAS: Etaine Smith, Senior HR Consultant, FAS Human Resources, etaine_smith@harvard.edu, 617-496-9380

Research funding

Cleaning Supplies

Harvard Facilities has made cleaning supplies (i.e. disinfectant wipes, surface cleaner spray bottle, paper towels, and a bottle of hand sanitizer) available to building occupants in building common areas. You should find a cleaning kit with these items in conference rooms and near kitchenettes.

Additionally, there are paper towels/Kimtech wipes and trash cans located next to elevators and entryways/exits. You can seek additional paper towels/Kimtech wipes and trash cans from facilities to put near high use areas of the lab or equipment.

Labs are responsible for supplying their own cleaning supplies. The department has placed several large orders to help individual labs, but as the supply chain has made it difficult to acquire these products, we encourage labs to be prepared with supplies needed to decontaminate lab space, especially shared pieces of equipment or shared lab workstations as outlined in their ALRP (e.g. 70% ethanol, 6% bleach, spray bottles with disinfectant, wet wipes, hand sanitizer etc.). Special cleaning supplies for equipment are to be provided by the lab.

Laboratory Operations

Harvard has permitted resumption of many university activities including laboratory research since June 2020. During the ramp-up phases, the university began at low density (~25% occupancy) and has increased over the past year up to normal 100% capacity. The information below is to assist our research community as we ramp back up to our normal research activities.

We understand the service interruptions during the pandemic have created many difficulties for many members of our research community. Our staff in Research Operations and our department administrators have worked to support you during the initial severity of the pandemic, and we continue to support our HSCRB research community as we resume work on campus.

HSCRB Laboratory Operations has resumed activity in the following areas:

Animal Research and Care

The Office of Animal Resources has continued care of all species housed in the BRI and satellite locations, and to respond to potential effects related to access, coordination of animal research activities and staffing schedules during each ramp up phase.

Please refer to the OAR website and communications from Kate Pritchett-Corning, DVM, Director of OAR, relating a return to normal research activity in each phase of the COVID-19 ramp up.

During full shutdown, only minimal, mission-critical lab personnel was permitted to access the facilities. OAR recommended reducing breeding, cryopreserving murine strains where possible, preserving food, and other measures.

During the Phased ramp up periods, additional researchers will be allowed into the BRI during restricted hours (2pm to 8pm) in order to start animal experiments and conduct animal related procedures, including plug checks (allowed between 5am and 6:30am), administration of drugs and agents and perform surgical experiments (both 2pm to 8pm). OAR has set up a pink “Move This Cage” card system to avoid multiple occupancy situations. Please continue to stay out of the animal rooms when OAR is working to allow us to finish as quickly as possible to turn the areas over to you.

Note: Light cycles have been changed (6am to 8pm) throughout the facility to accommodate changes in personnel schedules and allow for extended time for researchers to access the facility. Time changes were implemented throughout all pods unless a PI requested an exception.

Wear your university-assigned mask at all times. Please check holding rooms before entering and DO NOT ENTER if animal care staff is present or working. Set up a scheduling calendar for your procedure rooms to avoid contact with other researchers to abide by density and distancing guidance.

Animal ordering updates: OAR will continue to receive animals on Tu, W, and Th, there is one order point per lab, and overall animal order number restrictions remain. There is a new policy around the short-notice order of timed pregnant animals which is posted here: https://oar.fas.harvard.edu/eanimal-ordering

Training: Since OAR training is suspended until further notice, they have devised a lab-based, OAR-certified trainer plan for techniques training for new investigators.

Fees: As more people return to campus, and investigators re-staff laboratories, OAR is ending the fee holiday for overcrowded separations and non-medical euthanasias. These fees will be reinstated on 1 August 2020.

Please expect further updates on facility access, custom cage ordering, controlled substances, and a mandatory OAR refresher training in the coming weeks.

Please contact Mimi Crowley or Kate Pritchett-Corning with any questions or concerns.

HSCRB Core Facilities

All HSCRB core facilities reopened Monday, June 8. Core staff have returned on normal schedules in order to provide full service to our researchers while continuing to abide by all Covid guidance including ensure physical distancing and a safe working environment.

The core facilities submitted their own lab re-entry plans and have provisional approval at this time. Service requests can be submitted by email or by online forms.

Please note that the HSCI iPS Core may require coordinated drop off and pick up.

Lab Services (media prep, glass wash & autoclave services)

Lab Services has returned to offering full service for all labs as resumption of research activity resumes within the labs.

Lab Services (glass wash/media/autoclaving) have returned to normal drop off and pick up locations within the labs.

Fee-for-service staff-and self-service:

Researchers may complete an online formdetailing their media request. Glassware can be dropped off if needed at a corridor station for processing.
Core staff will notify researcher when work requests (glassware, pipets, media, plates) are completed and returned to the designated drop-off locations within the labs.
Communication with core staff will be available by email or phone.
Hourly rates will remain the same. Staff can provide an estimate for the length of time for processing their orders if needed.

Please contact LaTasha Jakes or Joe Vaughan with any questions or concerns you may have.

Histology Services

Fee-for-service staff-and self-service:

Researchers may complete an online formdetailing their sample processing requests. Samples can be dropped off at a corridor station or placed into a designated shelf in the B16 freezers designated for sample drop off.
Researchers should notify by email when they drop-off their work request items at the designated collection station in the corridor.
Core staff will notify researcher when their samples have been processed. Completed samples will be placed in the designated drop-off location and lab members will be notified.
Communication with core staff will be available by email or phone.
Hourly rates will remain the same. Staff can provide an estimate for the length of time for processing their orders if needed. Please expect processing time to be slightly longer initially.

Please contact Cathy MacGillivray or Joe Vaughan with any questions or concerns you may have.

Flow Cytometry Services

The HSCRB Flow Cytometry Core has resumed full Tech and Self-service. During 2021, the Core replaced LSR analyzer with a new, better unit. All sorting will be “fee-for-service,” according to the process described below.

Fee-for-service staff-and self-service:

Researchers will send an email or fill out a scheduling software form detailing their experiment, cell type, fluorochromes and suggested date for sorting/analysis.
The experiment will be assigned to a Flow Core staff member (Joyce or Nema) who will provide the researcher with a confirmed scheduled time. Researchers will notify core staff before they drop-off their sample in the designated sample bench prior to their appointment.
HCSRB Flow Core staff will notify the researcher when samples and sort are completed and upload data to a USB drive and place both the samples and the drive in the designated sample drop-off location.
If a researcher wishes to see live results of sorting and panel design, a separate device laptop hooked up to the monitors for screen sharing via Zoom will be used (in the case that software and computers are not hooked to network). Real time communication via wireless headphones or phone may also be doable.
Hourly charges will remain the same for the time being. Researchers will be asked to estimate the length of their experiment upon sample submission. This will be updated by Flow Core staff after sorting is complete.

Please contact Joyce LaVecchio or Amy Wagers with any questions or concerns you may have.

Departmental Laboratories

Preparing your labs and workspaces:

- - FAS Division of Science Research Reboot FAQs

Hazardous Waste Disposal and Waste Removal

Custodial Services and lab waste disposal is available as research and university operations continue. We have implemented more stringent cleaning procedures focusing on common areas, restrooms and frequently touched zones (e.g. door handles, chair arms, stair railings).

Chemical waste will continue to be picked up by Triumvirate at satellite accumulation areas, typically in or near fume hoods on each floor.

If any cleaning or waste-disposal issues arise, please contact Phil Norton.

Kitchenettes and gathering areas:

Kitchenettes reopened to individual use.

General guidelines

All mitigation guidelines that apply to labs (regarding, e.g., mask use, occupancy, etc.) also apply for the room housing the kitchen area.
Avoid any cross touching of flatware, lunch bags, etc. If cross contamination occurs, either disinfect or dispose of contaminated item/surface.
Researchers supply their own food preparation and service items and store these in a secure location outside of the kitchen after use.

Preparation of food and other kitchen activities

Ordering, Shipping & Receiving and Mail

HUMS has resumed all delivery to the mailboxes. Ordering supplies and shipping and receiving continue to operate and will be available as research and university operations resume. Receiving has returned to normal loading dock hours and maintain daily deliveries to all labs. Items that are perishable may be placed in temporary refrigerators and freezers provided by Building Operations.

Ordering Supplies: During our time away from campus, the university has transitioned from HCOM to the new Buy2Pay purchase requisition system. For Buy2Pay training, please contact your representative on the Finance/Business Operations Team.

Sample Pickup and Servicing Equipment

Vendor services has now resumed. Equipment issues and continuity of these services will be addressed as they arise. If a vendor is unable to access the building, please contact Phil Norton.

Chemical Waste Pickup

Chemical waste collection and disposal will continue on an increasing schedule as university operations resume. If issues arise, contac EHS or Joe Vaughan.

Cold Storage and Freezers

If issues arise with cold storage units or lab freezers, essential operations staff will be on hand to:

Change LN2 tanks.
Handle equipment alarms and failures.
Transfer items to another cold storage unit within the department.

There are -20°C and -80°C backup freezers available in B16 for temporary storage. Phil Norton has two extra chest freezers in case they are needed. To place material in the freezers, or for assistance in the event of an emergency, contact Phil Norton and Joe Vaughan.

Equipment Alarms

Contact the Operations Center, Harvard Energy and Facilities: (617) 495-5560

The Operations Center provides 24/7 alarm monitoring, facility response and emergency call center services to all University buildings. Calls they can service range from routine work requests for HVAC, electrical and plumbing issues to facility-related emergencies such as fires, floods or elevator entrapments.

Emergencies

Any person who becomes aware of an imminent threat to the safety of the community or one of its members, including self-harm, should immediately notify the appropriate police department:

On campus: 617-495-1212 (HUPD)
Off campus: 9-1-1 (local police)

Contact Joe Vaughan at 617-496-0252 for any research- or laboratory-operations-related issues.

Harvard University Health Services Urgent Care Number is (617) 495-5711.

Parking for Mission-Critical Staff

For designated essential personnel, emergency parking is free through July 31 at the 52 Oxford Street Garage, SEAS Lot, William James Lot, and other locations.

Full details are on the Harvard Transportation and Parking site. Contact Joe Vaughan if you have issues accessing parking.

Flexible Working

HSCRB managers and staff continue to work remotely. If you have not been included as a returning staff member on an Approved Lab Re-entry Plan, you should not visit the buildings.

Students

Harvard University will be open for fall 2020, and specific details are in the process of being planned. Learn more about FAS fall 2020 planning here.

See the University’s learn remotely and teach remotely pages for guidance.

Our department Chairs are dedicated to supporting our community and will be working closely with the Administration Team to help and support community members throughout the course of implementing changes. HSCRB faculty recognize the challenges of this uncertainty, and we are all committed to supporting our students during this unprecedented and stressful situation.

Emergency Support

Remote Teaching

Some aspects of in-person teaching may translate more easily to a remote classroom than others.

Remote teaching resources

The Bok Center website offers a series of guiding questions and resources to help with adjusting teaching content, activities, and assessments to an online format.
The University website on teaching remotely offers additional information.
The HMS Curriculum Fellows Program offers curriculum-focused support and can answer questions about best practices for online teaching, ways to adapt content or assignments to a remote environment, and other related issues. Contact: cfp@hms.harvard.edu
Access Zoom Video Conferencing for your FAS Course

Questions and Feedback

The FAS Division of Science welcomes all members of our community to submit questions through this dedicated website, and will endeavor to reply within a day.

If you have questions, concerns, or feedback specific to HSCRB, please email hscrb-comms@harvard.edu. Your message will be received by a small group of people so that you can receive a reply as quickly as possible.

Harvard University Coronavirus Page